Fish-trap.



W. R.-GALVERT.

FISH TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED 00 T.13, 1911.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Inventor,

UNED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER RILEY CALVERT, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

FISH-TRAP.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WVALTER R. CALVERT, acitizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county ofBexar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Fish-Trap, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to traps, and is particularly adapted fortrapping fish and other aquatic animals, and has for its object toprovide an improved and efiicient device of this character.

In its broad idea this invention contemplates the employment of twoelongated members having a sliding engagement with each other, a triggerconnected to one of the members and engageable with the other member,one or both of the said. members having hooks or other means forsnagging the fish or other animal, and a spring connected to one memberand arranged to be manually brought under tension whereby upon thetrigger being released the hooks or the like are caused to engage theanimal.

In its specific embodiment this trap embodies an elongated body ofU-shaped cross section having notches in the edges and in proximity toone end thereof, a strap secured over the edges of the said end of thebody and having its ends extending radially in opposite directions fromthe body, a pin secured. in proximity to the other end of the body, abutton or head secured to the last mentioned end of the body, a ringsecured to the ends of the said strap, a slide mounted on the body, aplunger fitting within the body and secured to the slide at its innerend and having the other end thereof protruding beyond the body,inwardly projecting hooks secured to the outer end of the said plunger,a trigger pivoted to the slide and adapted to engage the notches in thebody to set the plunger in distended position, a coiled spring arrangedon the body and secured to the said slide, and ahooked finger piecesecured to the other end ofthe spring which is arranged to be engagedover the aforesaid pin against the tension of the spring.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinsimilar reference characters indicate similar parts, and wherein Figure1 is an elevation of the trap in set position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 13, 1911.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Serial No. 654,490.

plunger being shown in retracted position. Fig. 3 is a section on theline 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4: of Fig. 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there is designated at 13 theelongated body of U-shaped cross section and at 5 the plunger whichslidably fits within the said body having the outer end thereofprotruding beyond the body. On the outer end of the plunger 5 is mounteda head 6 to which are secured the shanks of a plurality of radiallydisposed hooks 7 which have the pointed ends thereof projectinginwardly. A strap 1.0 has the intermediate portion 11 thereof securedover the edges of the end of the body 13, the said intermediate portionbeing of substantially U-shape and the ends of the said strap extendradially in opposite directions from the body and are twisted and bentaround a ring 9 to secure the said ring to the ends of the said strap.The plunger 5 in sliding in the body 13 therefore causes the hooks 7 tomove to and from the ring 19 and it will be seen that when the plungeris in extended or projected position and then retracted the hooks 7 willengage any object disposed between the said hooks and the ring 9, thering 9 preventing the object from being displaced longitudinally uponthe hooks 7 moving inwardly to assure the hooks engaging the object.

A slide is mounted to move longitudinally upon the'body 13 and comprisesa plate 21 bearing against the edges of the body 13 and a U-shaped orcurved plate 28 passing around the body 13, the longitudinal edges ofthe plate 21 being bent or beaded around the longitudinal edges of theplate 28. The plunger 5 at its inner end is bent outwardly to form anangular projection 8 which pierces the plate 21 of the slide thusconnecting the said plunger with the slide. A trigger 15 is pivoted tothe slide, the said trigger being bent from a length of wire having theinner end thereof bent angularly as indicated at 17 around which end alip 18 is bent from the plate 21 of the slide.

bringing the same in position to be set, and an ear or projection 29 isstruck from the outer end of the body for engaging over the hook of thetrigger, as shown in Fig. 1 to assist in retaining the same in setposition but permitting the trigger to be readily released.

To the other or inner end of the body 13 is secured the head or button26 and next inside said button or head is secured a pin 24: around whichthe ends of a bail 25 are bent. A second pin 23 is secured to the body17 in proximity to the head 26. A coiled wire spring 20 which isarranged on the body 13 is secured at its outer end to the slide bymeans of a lip 19 struck from the plate 21 and bent around the endmostconvolution of the said spring, and to the other or inner end of thespring 20 is secured a hooked finger piece or plate 22.

In the use of the trap, the plunger 5 is slid outwardly in a projectedposition from the body 13 and the portion 1 1- of the trigger 15 isengaged with the pair of notches 27 in the body 13, thus setting thebody 13 and the plunger 5 in a distended position with respect to eachother and causing the hook 16 to be projected through the ring 9. Thehook 16 of the trigger to which a suitable bait has been applied istherefore brought in a position between the hooks 7 of the plunger 5 andthe ring 9 secured to the body 13. Then the body and plunger are thusbrought in posit-ion a tension is produced between the said body anddasher by pulling the inner end of the spring toward the head 26 andengaging the hooked plate 22 over the pin 23. The trap is then submergedin the water by means of a line connected to the bail 25, and upon afish or other animal; attemptlng to remove the bait from the trig-.

ger the trigger is released from the notches 27 thus causing the plunger5 to be retracted by the tension of the spring 20 which pulls the slideinwardly, thus causing the hooks 7 to move toward the ring 9 and thebody 13 to engage the fish or other animal.

the plunger and therefore compels the hooks 7 to be firmly embedded intothe body of the fish or other animal and retaining same until releasedby the trapper. In bringing the spring 20 under tension it isconvenient. to swing the bail 25 aside and then by plac-- struct'ed inaccordance with the present in-' venti'on is comparatively snnpl'e andcomb-- The ring 9 prevents the fish or other animal from being displacedupon the inward stroke of pact in its construction, and is bothefficient and convenient in its use. This trap is de signed to catch thefish or other animals at any angle at which they may approach the bait,and it will be also noted that the ring 9 in addition to retaining thefish against longitudinal displacement upon the inward stroke of thedasher also serves to prevent the hooks from snagging or catching logs,brush and the like, thus acting as a guard.

Although this trap is particularly adapted for catching fish and otheraquatic animals it may be found useful for catching certain land animalsas will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This trap is also designed to catch fish and other animals of varioussizes, and it is understood that this trap may be constructed in varioussizes and otherwise altered in its details,of construction andarrangement of parts within. the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing from thebenefits derived.

* What is claimed is 1. In a fish trap, an elongated body, a plungerhaving a sliding engagement there with, a trigger connected to one ofsaid parts and arranged to engage the other part to hold the parts inset position, and means for producing a tension between the body andplunger after they are set.

2. In a trap, an elongated body, a plunger having a sliding engagementtherewith, a trigger connected to the plunger and adapted to engage thebody to hold the plunger in projected position, forked elements securedto the plunger, and a spring adapted to be brought under tension betweenthe body and plunger after the plunger is brought into projectedposition.

3. In a trap, an elongated body having notches therein, a plungerslidably engaged with the body and projectable beyond the end of thebody, a slide mounted on the body and connected to the plunger, forkedelements secured to the plunger, a trigger pivoted to the slide andadapted to engage the said notches to set the plunger in pro jectedposition, and means for producing a tension between the plunger and thebody after they are set.

4:. In a trap, an elongated body having notches therein, a plungerslidably engaged wit-h the body and projectable beyond the end of thebody, a slide mounted on the body and connected to the plunger, atrigger pivoted to the slide and adapted to engage the said notches toset the plunger in pro jected position to set the plunger and bodyrelative to each other, and a spring for producing a tension between thebody and the plunger when in set position.

5. In a trap, an elongated body having notches therein, a ring "securedto one end of the body, a plunger slidably engaged with the body andprojectable beyond the end of the body to which the ring is secured, aslide mounted on the body and connected to the plunger, inwardlyprojecting pointed members secured to the outer end of the plunger, atrigger pivoted to the slide and adapted to engage the said notches toset the plunger in projected position, and means for producing a tensionbetween the body and plunger.

6. In a trap, an elongatedbody U-shaped in cross section having notchesin the edges and in proximity to one end thereof, a strap secured overthe edges of the said end of the body and having its ends extendingradially in opposite directions from the body, a button secured to theother end of the body, a pin secured to the body in proximity to thesaid button, a ring secured to the ends of the said strap, a slidemounted on the body, a plunger fitting Within the body and secured tothe slide at its inner end and arranged to have the other end projectedbeyond the body, hooks secured to the outer end of the plunger, atrigger pivoted to the slide and adapted to engage the said notches inthe body to set the plunger in projected position, a coiled springarranged on the body and secured to the said slide, and a hooked fingerpiece secured to the spring Which is arranged to be engaged over theaforesaid pin When the plunger is set in projected position to bring thesaid spring under tension.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WVALTER RILEY CALVERT.

WVitnesses:

IDA L. RIEBE, JOHN F. DUNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

